By IANS,
Hyderabad : A total shutdown was observed in Mahabubnagar district in Andhra Pradesh’s Telangana region Monday to protest the damage to an irrigation source to the district allegedly by some people belonging to Kurnool district of Rayalaseema region.
Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed while buses of state owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) went off the roads in response to the strike call given by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Protests were held in different parts of the district, demanding action against those involved in the damage to the plates of the sluice gates across river Tungabhadra to prevent release of water to Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS).
Police in Kurnool have already arrested 25 people over Saturday’s incident, which could heighten the tension between Telangana and Rayalaseema regions.
Farmers in Mahabubnagar had long been complaining that they were being denied their due share of water from RDS as Kurnool district was overdrawing the water.
Meanwhile, the TRS activists heckled Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N. Janardhan Reddy in Mahabubnagar, demanding his resignation over the issue.
The protestors also laid siege to the residence of TDP legislator Jaipal Yadav in Kalwakurthy, demanding his resignation.
Fresh from its massive victory in assembly elections in Telangana, the TRS is trying to use the issue to consolidate its base in Mahabubnagar. The issue has come up at a time when both Rayalaseema and Andhra regions were opposing separate statehood to Telangana.
The TRS and other pro-Telangana parties are trying to project the incident as another proof of injustice to the region and thus justify the demand for separate Telangana state.
Blaming TDP legislator from Mantralayam in Kurnool district Bala Nagi Reddy for the incident, TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao has demanded his arrest.
The 25 people arrested by police in Kurnool are said to be the followers of the legislator.